Video Goodies....

More and more folks are putting videos onto YouTube that are useful to golfers to see.

Within a week or so, I will be adding a link to my web site so that you can go to a number directly to links to a number of these videos.

Perhaps you do not want to wait until this part of the site is active to see a few of these. Here are two links that you might be interested in viewing - some videos that discuss different elements of clubfitting and the value of it to golfers....

1. Dana Upshaw (Dana Golf) from Warner Robins, GA is one of the premier clubfitters in the world. At each of the three AGCP Roundtables that I have attended, his presentations have been one of the highlights of the meetings. You can see three recent AGCP videos that Dana has recorded at http://www.youtube.com/agcpclubfitter. There are a number of other useful videos you can see through this link.

2. Tom Wishon (Tom Wishon Golf) has a more than 30 year passion for custom clubfitting. He has produced a number of interesting videos on different elements of the value of clubfitting, these are located at http://wishongolf.com.

Hope these are useful to you!

Tony

Some Key Tidbits on The Successful AGCP RT5

Well we had another great AGCP Roundtable this past week. It started with a Demo Day last Wednesday and then 3 days of presentations and interactions with AGCP sponsors who attended the meetings. More than 60 AGCP members attended and there were excellent presentations on key elements of clubfitting including how to fit golfers who have disabilities, on the influence of metallurgy on the ability to bend iron heads, on how some important elements of installing grips on golf clubs, and business basics for clubfitting business development, on how to organize clubfitting websites, and on the key interactions between clubfitting and golf instruction (and more).


From the standpoint of readers of this blog, here are some tidbits that I hope might help your golf games....

1. If you ever the chance to get an evaluation of your putting stroke with the SAM PuttLab, I highly recommend it. This is the Cadillac of putter stroke diagnostics, and it provides some great insights into how you might improve your putting stroke. And you might also want to check out "The Putting Doctor" website - Glenn Combs has a simple process for improving putting that is well worth the investment.

2. A good resource discussed for tracking your golf game shots and identifying areas for improvement is the LinxTracker.... website of the same name.

3. Back to putting, an overlooked area that could lead to improvement is simply to determine if your grip has been put on straight so that you can square up the clubface. You might visually look at your grip and if it is not on straight get your putter regripped.

4. Again back to putting......a way to get an initial check on the effectiveness of your stroke is to simply check if you are aiming the putter on line......and if you are hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the putter.

5. From the standpoint of getting effective help with your golf swing, finding a teacher who focuses on the fundamentals is very important.


By far the best part of the Roundtable happened at the end. Tom Wishon from Tom Wishon Golf Technology gave a 2 hour presentation on what he has learned from 40 years of working in the golf business. He discussed many things - including that almost all drivers that people buy off the rack are too long - but the key thing was something he said at the end and that needs to be emphasized over and over again.....


Custom Built Golf Clubs Are The Best Golf Clubs
That You Will Ever Play With.


Tony

Off We Go - AGCP Roundtable 5!!

The AGCP Roundtable 5 starts on Wednesday with a Demo Day. Followed by 3 days of terrific presentations on topics like MOI matching, tips and tricks for clubbuilding, how to handle business finances, marketing, and a lot of others. More than 60 of the best clubfitters in the world will again attend, and it is my favorite time of the year. Tom Wishon will be giving the Keynote Address for the Conference on Saturday and it should be great.


I will do a couple of extra blog posts this week to note some of the highlights of the conference. Off we go!


Tony

Thanksgiving!

Some of my Giving Thanks areas this year related to clubfitting and clubmaking....


1. Getting to partner with Des Mahoney at Centenial. Des is a superb golf teacher, and advocate of my clubfitting efforts, and a great friend. Two years ago when I first had the opportunity to team with him at Centenial, I would not have imagined what a good team we would become.


2. The Association of Golf Clubfitting Professionals (AGCP). The best clubfitting group that there is. Every week I learn new things from these guys. No question to them is a dumb question.


3. My clients. I am busier right now than ever before, and I thank the folks who have asked me to help them play better golf by getting clubs that truly fit them.


4. My wife. The one who puts up with me almost every night building clubs in the basement of our house. Could NOT do it without her support.


Thanks to all of you.

Tony


PS.........and one more thing............way to go Scott Stallings getting to the Final Stage of Q School!!

AGCP Roundtable 4 - Education, Education, Education!

The Association of Golf Clubfitting Professionals (AGCP) held its 4th Annual Roundtable in Columbus, GA on October 14-17. For me, this event just keeps getting better and better! The best of the best clubfitters get together each year to learn from each other about different elements of professional clubfitting.


The theme of this Roundtable - and the previous Roundtables - was Education, Education, Education. It is an opportunity for the best clubfitters in the world to share their knowledge. Some of the major topics discussed during the Roundtable included:

- Club Grinding Techniques - discussions on key elements of grinding, and then a hands on session where attendees could learn some of these key elements;

- Presentations of how to address some key swing flaws in clubfitting sessions, and on some of the key components of good iron fitting;

- "Tricks of the Trade" - tips to help in fitting and building clubs;

- New techniques for profiling golf shafts, and use of high speed cameras during the fitting process;

- Using shaft profiling techniques in driver shaft fitting;

- Discussion on the influence of Club Balance Point in clubfitting;

- The Hows and Whys of Clubfitting;

- Putter fitting;

- Keys for operating a profitable clubfitting business.


In addition, I think 21 different sponsors were in attendance at the Roundtable. This included shaft manufacturers, custom club manufacturers, and companies that provide materials and services to improve clubfitting and clubmaking.


For me this was another great learning experience to help me get to a higher level of fitting and clubmaking expertise. Probably the best part of the Roundtable is the chance to ask questions of recognized experts, both during presentations and in the evenings.


Just another Wow! Roundtable - can't wait to see this group again next September.


Tony

If Tiger Says It, Is It True?....

The note below was in the November Golf Digest magazine....


ASK TIGER -- Golf Digest, Nov'09, p.280.

What is the best tip you would give to a beginner?(Anne Patterson, Boulder, CO)

A. Find clubs that fit you. It will save you a ton of aggravation from the start. Make sure they aren't too short, long or heavy. Otherwise, you'll adapt your swing to the equipment in a way that might not be technically sound. It's easy to get fit, and it really does matter.


Probably cannot say this any better than he did......thanks Tiger!



Full report next week from the AGCP 4th Roundtable!!


Tony

AGCP - My BUDDIES!!

The Association of Golf Clubfitting Professionals (AGCP). I thought it was time to give these guys a bit of a plug - though to tell you the truth many of the folks in this group are at a pretty incredible level of clubfitting and do not need any help from me!


I think it was about 2 years ago, probably around this time of year, that I found the AGCP web site. Something about them, the resources and approaches that they promoted, and the fact that they have a yearly "Roundtable" meeting where clubfitters get together to talk details of clubfitting, seemed attractive. So I joined.....and it was the best move I have ever made in clubfitting.


The AGCP, lead by Roy Nix of Columbus, GA is one tremendous organization. They attempt to keep things simple in my view - How Can We All Improve As Clubfitters And Clubmakers? And they do it in a deceptively simple way - All members are encouraged to buy in the philosophy that There Are No Dumb Questions. This is an easy philosophy to say but not easy to realize - but it is the bread and butter of the AGCP. Questions come from clubfitters who are new, clubfitters like myself who have a few years of experience, clubfitters who have many years of experience - and answers come from people who have qualifications like International Clubmaker of the Year, and may others who have been the business and fully know ropes. And always the response is thanks for the question and here is your answer.


As a result, many of the really great clubfitting and clubmaking techniques that I have learned have come from being an AGCP member. Some of these include....

1. Zone profiling of iron shafts....to determine which shaft in a set of untipped shafts to use in which irons to get the most consistent shaft flex profile.

2. Using unscented baby wipes to clean epoxy off the outside of clubs when doing a build.

3. The "Butt-Mid+Tip" profiling technique for picking the best driver shaft for a player's swing speed, tempo, and release point.

4. 3M DP 810 epoxy, which has great strength characteristics and is playable in about 30 minutes.

And a lot more.


And the ROUNDTABLE events.....well, these are the highlights of being involved in the AGCP. In the late fall in 2007 and 2008 I attended these, with about 60 other clubfitters. Each time I came away with lots of new knowledge and connections and ways to improve my clubfitting techniques.


Now, clearly if you read this and are in the Knoxville area your clubfitter of choice ought to be me! (and I believe in fact I am the only AGCP fitter in this area). But if you are from another area of the country, and are looking for a great clubfitter to help improve your game, I suggest you get on the AGCP web site - www.agcpgolf.com - and look for an AGCP fitter in your area. You will be pleased with the results!


Tony